ASHLAND, OR (Oct. 2, 2026) – A new piece of stained-glass window art intended to celebrate inclusion will officially debut during an open house event held 2 to 4 p.m. Friday, Oct. 16. at the Ashland branch library, 410 Siskiyou Blvd., Ashland.
The event is open to the public. There will be live music and light refreshments.
“The installation is a symbol of JCLS support for all of our neighbors, patrons, and staff,” says Kristin Anderson, JCLS Assistant Director of Public Services. “It’s a beautiful addition to the library.”
Designed by area stained-glass artist Dal Yockey and funded by the Jackson County Library Foundation, the design comprises four panels of various colors of the rainbow that make up the entire ROY G BIV spectrum: red and orange, orange and yellow, green and blue, blue and violet. A patchwork of different sized shapes makes up the panels: a menagerie of arches, squares, rectangles, and circles.
“My intent was to create a glass tapestry pulling in colors of the rainbow and incorporating different types of glass from around the country and the world,” Yockey says. “No single color or texture by itself would be able to compare with such an inclusive palette, just as no single race, religion or creed can compare with the complex beauty and possibility of our whole humanity and what it offers.”
A committee comprising Ashland Branch library staff conducted a thorough selection process when seeking the artist and design with the intention of celebrating inclusion and specifically Southern Oregon Pride. This permanent art installation will live alongside existing pieces by local artists Wataru Sugiyama and Betty LaDuke that can be found at the branch.
The installation is welcoming, a symbol of inclusion inviting all members of our community to connect with information, ideas, and each other.
“Libraries do so much for so many different people in our community. We should all feel welcome and safe,” Yockey says. “I hope that ‘ROY G. BIV In Art Deco’ fosters a sense of community and belonging – that we are all different but beautiful in our own way, and part of something larger than ourselves.”